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The girl turned away from the partition, her face white and drawn, her eyes inexpressibly sad She rose to her feet, facing Theriere

"I have heard quite enough, thank you, Mr Theriere," she said

"You are convinced then that I am your friend?" he asked

"I am convinced that Mr Divine is not," she replied non-committally

She took a step toward the door Theriere stood looking at her She was unquestionably very good to look at He could not rereat desire to seize her in his arms swept over the man Theriere had not often made any effort to harness his desires What he wanted it had been his custom to take--by force if necessary He took a step toward Barbara Harding There was a sudden light in his eyes that the girl had not before seen there, and she reached quickly toward the knob of the door

Theriere was upon her, and then, quickly, he ht-out plan based on what Divine had told hirandparent which stipulated that the man who shared the bequest with her must be the choice of both herself and her father He could afford to bide his time, and play the chivalrous protector before he essayed the role of lover

Barbara had turned a half-frightened look toward him as he advanced--in doubt as to his intentions

"Pardon ," he said; "the door is bolted-- letthe portal wide that she ht pass out "I feared interruption," he said, in explanation of the bolt

In silence they returned to the upper deck The intoxication of sudden passion now under control, Theriere was again , waiting game that he had deterh of Miss Harding to insure a place in her est that he was forcing hihtly, he assuhtful deference to her co conditions of her present existence ht entail too open devotion on his part And so he raised his cap and left her, only urging her to call upon hiht be of service to her

Left alone the girl beca ordeal of attee that Larry Divine, her lifelong friend, was the instigator of the atrocious villainy that had been perpetrated against her and her father She found it almost equally difficult to believe that Mr Theriere was soas he would have had her believe And yet, did his story not sound even more plausible than that of Divine which she had accepted before Theriere had made it possible for her to know the truth? Why, then, was it so difficult for her to believe the Frenchman? She could not say, but in the inmost recesses of her heart she knew that she mistrusted and feared the man